Art from my Heart

Pennant Necklace- diy part 1

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

I see pennants all over Etsy now days. I thought it would be fun to make jewelry using that theme.

I also used the vintage chain I have been selling in the Hoarders Closet. It is sweet, small, strong, and great to work with.

I documented this one to share with you, because it is so much fun to make and wear.

I made both kids sizes and adult.

You will need:

1 color of Cernit (I used Turquoise and Light Green) You could even make each flag a different color, just have fun ;-D
Clay machine
double ended knitting needle
22 gauge artistic wire in Non-tarnish silver
Triangle cutter in 5/8" size

Round cutter in 5/16" size
Alphabet stamps (I got mine at Michael's)
Flush cutters
Rosary pliers or needle nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Tiny Chain

1. condition clay and make soft and pliable, roll out in the clay machine on the 2nd thickest setting.

2. I am making the name "Sarah"
Cut out 10 of the triangle shapes.

3. Cut 5, 3 1/2" to 4" pieces of 22 gauge wire with the flush cutters.

4. Place the middle of the wire over one side of the triangle cutter and bend the ends over the edges.

5. Place the bent wire on one of the sides of the triangle. Put the wire down from the top about 1/16".

6. Place one of the triangles over the wire and on top of the triangle on the bottom. Line the two triangles up and press together.

7. Press the triangles together and focus on the top of the triangles where the wire is.
I like to pick these up and make sure all the edges are pressed together well and the wire is centered and press well at the wire.

8 Do the same thing to the other 4 sets of triangles and wires.

9. Stamp pennants with letters.

10. Press in deeply and firmly for a clear print of the letter.

11. Check the edges and make the pennants are flat after stamping.

12. Using the 5/16" round cutter, I cut out 10 circles from the sheet of clay rolled out on the 2nd thickest setting. Roll these into balls.

13. Use the knitting needle to poke the hole in the beads.
Turn the bead over and poke the knitting needle back through the hole you just made to even the holes out on both sides.

14. Poke through.

15. Bake on a piece of corrugated box cardboard in a preheated 275 degree oven for 30 minutes, shut off the oven and let cool in there until you can touch the beads.

Continued in part 2...

I am teaching at Cabin Fever Clay Festival

2012-01-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

I am teaching at Cabin Fever Clay Fest in Laurel, Maryland not far from Washington DC. in February.

You can read about my pre-conference and conference classes here

http://polymerclayfests.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/cfcf-2012-spotlight-on-instructor-marie-segal/

You can sign up here on the registration page

http://polymerclayfests.wordpress.com/cfcf-2012-registration-page/

This is the first time I will ever be teaching my unzipped hearts, how to use the zipper mold, how to make the embellishments, stamping both sides of the heart at the same time, making and incorporating the ring bail at the top and anything else I can give you in the time allotted.

I will not be the only teacher there either, there are many great artists coming to teach at this event and it is the perfect thing to heat up your cold winter. I am so looking forward to this and meeting new friends and playing with old ones...

Here is the line up

Beginning 17 Feb. 2012, we will offer a two-day masterclass with Jeffrey Lloyd Dever and seven full-day workshops with each of the following incredibly talented instructors: Jana Roberts Benzon, Lindly Haunani, Barbara Lewis, Liz Potter Hall, Nan Roche, Marie Segal, and Sarah Shriver.

On Sunday, 19 Feb., the conference begins and will offer twelve unique workshops and nineteen opportunities to get the creative muse working again! Instructors include: Blair Anderson, Jana Roberts Benzon, Lindly Haunani, Linda Hess, Doreen Kassel, Shannon Nelson, Kathryn Jo Ottman, Lynne Anne Schwarzenberg, Marie Segal, Sarah Shriver, and Laura Tabakman.

I will also be teaching a class on wire called "All wired up"

That is the pre-conference (master classes) all day workshop on Friday the 17th of February.

We start out making a simple flower cane .

I will be exploring all kinds of ear wires and making a simple clasp for necklaces and talking about wire basket weaving and howto incorporate the cane into the wire.

This is going to be an incredible conference with many wonderful teachers and 20 classes available to you. I am so honored to be amongst this group.

You should come, it is going to be fun and you will have chance to learn something new in the new year.

All of the instructors are incredibly talented artists in polymer clay, metal clay, mixed media, and metalwork.

Happy New Year... finally!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Well, the new year is here and I for one, am excited.
I hope you are too.
The year has been interesting.
Thank you so much my dear friends for staying for the year, for sharing your love and your hearts, and for giving me a reason to keep writing.
I am better for knowing all of you!
Thank you!

I have been playing with some new things. New year, new things, I started early.
I thought these were very fun and I thought you might like to try too.

This is like scrapbooking jewelry... woooooooooooo whoooooooo.
I knew my boatloads of fun with Jodi would lead to something like this.
I also like it because it is one of the bib necklace findings I just loaded in to my HoardersCloset Etsy store here for gold,
http://www.etsy.com/listing/88706811/vintage-metal-gold-tone-brass-bib
and here for silver,
http://www.etsy.com/listing/88644235/vintage-metal-silver-tone-plated-bib

That is the finding right there in the background above with no decorations on it.
I have had these for years and I have added clay to them and that is fun, but this is cool because I can use all of my newly collected scrapbook and paper supplies on these too.

Here is a pic of some of the things I used on the necklace, plus some scrap book paper.
Yes!

You will need:
1 brass or silver tone crescent
Chain necklace with clasp and jump rings
Scrap book paper
Gel medium- soft gel
1/4" flat brush
jewels and metal bits
glossy accents
scissors
glue
glitter glue
Distress inks
foam applicator
clay pieces
assorted goodies and beads
brads
Distress ink
paper doilies
Glass rhinestones and cabs
Ribbon
Anything else you think might look wonderful on here

I started with one of the brass crescents

Cut a piece of paper that is bigger than the crescent.

Glob on gel medium, with flat brush, on to the front of the crescent.

Turn over the crescent and place it on top of the paper.
Pick up the both of them and press the paper on.
The gel will squish out around the edges
Set this aside and let the gel dry for a little bit.

Cut off the paper below the loop on the crescent.

Like so. Do both sides.

After it has dried a little cut the excess paper around the crescent.

It should look something like this.
I go around the edges and press the edges to the crescent.

Now I cover a paper doily with metallic ink and let it dry or heat set it with a heat gun.

Now I distress the edges of the paper on the crescent with walnut stain Distress Ink.

This colors the edges of the paper so they are not stark white besides giving the paper on the front a nice soft antiqued look. I love this ink!!

I love the way this looks.

I place the doily over the crescent to see where I want it to go and then cut a section out.

Cut a section to go on one end also, I liked it like that.

I put a layer of gel on to the end where I am going to place the piece of doily and then paint the gel on the back of the doily and place the piece where I want it to go.

Place gel on the back of the other piece and place it where you want it.

Put gel on top of that one.

I set it aside and let it dry on the crescent. Because of the curve of the crescent I lift it upon something (scissor covers) so the edges down.

When dry cut, away the excess doily.
Like so.

With Crafter's Pick Ultimate or E-6000 Glue on your bits.

I had to throw in some clay. I only use a little glue in the centers of the butterflies the glue seems to press out to the edges when I press them down on the paper.

At this point I just start filling up the base with stuff, rhinestones, flowers, keys and other assorted things.
I haven't finished this but I will post it when I do.

Have fun with this. I would love to see what you do.
Have a great 2012, much prosperity, health, and peace for us all.
Blessings all over you all.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

2011-12-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

May the spirit of Christmas bless you with love, abundance, joy, and peace in your heart!

Wishing you all the very happiest of Holidays with your family and friends.

May your New Year be better than 2011 ever was.

Relax. It is all good.

Santa Can Christmas 2011

Marie Segal

Happy Holidays, all of them. My gift to you- Focal button- diy

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to one and all, that means all of the holidays. No matter what you celebrate, you are important to me. Blessings all over you and yours and may the new year be very kind to you.
2012, how can it get any better than that? :-O

This is my gift to you.

Thank you for following, your kind comments and support, your friendships, and a reason to keep going everyday!

Large focal buttons can be used on handmade coats, purses, bags, and scarves. Or they can be put on factory manufactured things to give them a little individual style all their own.
Easy to make and great for adding a little flair and uniqueness to a special gift.
This is also very basic instruction. You can use a clay machine if you want and if you do, use the thickest setting for everything.

You will need:
Black Cernit
Two accent colors of Cernit, I used turquoise and poppy red
Cocktail straw
Clay blade-SB
Makin's clay cutters-M36002 set of 3 squares
Pearl-ex powder-658, I used Aztec Gold
Makin's Texture sheet set- 38003 I used the "weave" one
Button mold, I made my own from old German glass buttons
Rolling pin or dowel
Ball point pen

Condition black clay and flatten in to a pancake shape.

Roll with dowel until about 1/8"thick.

Roll clay on to texture sheet.

Use largest square cutter and cut out square.

With a little of the Aztec gold powder from the lid on your finger rub the gold powder in to the four corners of the black textured square. Leaving the center of the square free of powders. Put the powder only on the top of the black square and keep it away from the sides of the square too, we are going to place a twisted coil around the square.
Wash your hands to remove excess powder.

Condition and roll out turquoise clay to about 1/8" thick.

Cut out medium square from set of cutters.

Put turquoise square on top of the black textured square off-center from the black square.
Condition some of the poppy red clay and roll in to a coil about 1/8" in diameter and then do the same thing with some of the turquoise clay.

Twist the two colors together.

Roll the colors together on the work surface.
Roll down to about 1/8" in diameter.

Place the twisted rolled out coil around the large black square.

Roll out a smaller coil of the poppy red, about 1/8" in diameter, and place around the smaller turquoise square.

Make a button from your button mold or some other decorative center.

Powder the top of the molded button.
Place powder on your finger from out of the lid.
Rub your finger around a couple of times to smooth out the lumps and then brush on to the clay lightly and in circles.
You can also roll the whole ball in powder. Make it a little bigger to begin with , press into the mold and then cut off the back so it is flat with the mold.
This insures that there is fresh un-powdered clay on the back to attach to the turquoise square.

Press gently on to the turquoise square.

You could leave the button like this, but I am going to add a couple more things.

Roll 4, 1/8" or smaller balls of black clay and place in the corners of the turquoise square.

With a ball point pen tip make a little mark in each of the black balls.

With one end of the cocktail straw cut a hole on the right side of the button top.
Turn the straw over and use the other side of the straw to cut another hole on the left side of the button.
I have cut my button holes so the button will sit and be sewn on diagonally.

Like so.
Bake for 30 minutes in a pre-heated 275 degree F oven, shut off the oven, and let cool till you can touch it, in the oven.

Happy Holidays Ya'll, all of them!!

Happy Hanukkah

2011-12-21T09:09:00.000-08:00

Got this awesome pic from
https://www.facebook.com/Dogspired

Happy Hanukkah!

Winter Solstice

2011-12-21T08:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Solstice ya'll

Come play with us

2011-12-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

Cabin Fever Clay Fest in Laurel, MD is just 2 months away - Feb. 17-22, 2012...have you registered yet? 27 Workshops - 15 Instructors - 1, 2, 3 or 6 days of non-stop creative fun! AND -You could win a $200 scholarship just for attending! Register for the pre-conference only, the conference only, or both...pick your choice of instructors! Still time to ask for that holiday gift you've wanted!

Visit the website here at: www.polymerclayfests.wordpress.com

It's not too late...there is still time for you to attend and win! It’s easy … all you do is register for the regular 3-day conference! Winners will be selected and awards given during the conference. To register, download registration form here.

We have another year with a full schedule (workshops descriptions here) of incredibly talented instructors in polymer clay, metal clay, mixed media, and metalworks including Blair Anderson, Jana Roberts Benzon, Jeffrey Lloyd Dever, Lindly Haunani, Liz Potter Hall, Linda Hess, Doreen Kassel, Barbara Lewis, Shannon Nelson, Kathryn Jo Ottman, Nan Roche, Lynne Anne Schwarzenberg, Marie Segal (the 2012 Creative Pioneer and Innovator Award Recipient), Sarah Shriver and Laura Tabakman.

If you haven’t attended CFCF yet, it’s an action packed one to six days of non-stop creative learning and fun and we want you to be part of it! We will also be honoring Marie Segal with the Creative Pioneer and Innovator Award at the Tuesday evening celebration and there will be an opportunity for you to bid on some incredible items at the silent auction!

Want to donate an item?...donation form is attached!

Review the workshops descriptions here and fill out your registration form and send it in. It’s that easy! Then, two (2) lucky attendees will be selected at the Tuesday night celebration. For additional information, please email cabinfeverclayfestivals@yahoo.com. To register, download registration form here.

Kathryn Ottman

Central MD PC Guild, PCCAF and Cabin Fever Clay Fests

www.polymerclayfests.wordpress.com

cabinfeverclayfestival@yahoo.com

Can-tastic Christmas wrapping- FaveCrafts Blog hop

2011-12-15T10:02:00.000-08:00

Ok time for finished on the fifteenth, Favecrafts.com monthly Blog hop.
I do want the glass cutter, so if you could please go there and vote for me I would be so grateful. All you have to do is like my Can-tasic blog post on their site.

Click on the Button right here and it will take you there

Ok this one is pure genius. I learned it from my uber-talented paper buddy Jodi.
She says she learned it from someone else.
Who-ever came up with this, is brilliant, and I am having a blast giving presents wrapped this way.
The look of pure puzzlement when you give this to some one is totally worth it.
Then after they open it they are still trying to figure out how it got in there.
You can even package the gift with wrapped candies, M and M's, Beans, gummy candies, and anything else that will give it a little weight and make a noise when it shaken, because they will shake it. LOL turn it upside down and look at it like they have never seen a can before in their lives.
Of course you can always use tissue paper.

You will need:
Christmas paper or scrapbook paper for whatever holiday you are giving this for
Scissors or paper cutter
Double sided film tape
Tags
Bows and ribbon
gift that fits in the can
Pop top can (You cut the bottom off of the can)
Side cutting can opener
Packaging stuffing (suggestions above)
E-6000 glue
Ruler
Cloth Measuring tape

Cut open the bottom of the can, save the pop top side for the fun.

Empty out contents and wash and dry can thoroughly.
If you can let it dry completely for a while after wiping out.

Measure the side of the can from the bottom of the ridge where the can starts and to the bottom where the can ends.
With a cloth measuring tape measure around the center of the can for the circumference and add 1" to the measured length.
The measurement on my can is about 12 1/2".
I used scrap book paper and it is only 12" by 12" so I had to piece another strip of paper in there.

Cut the paper to the height of your can.

Add tape to can, press on and take off paper.

Add a couple of more strips about an inch apart, do not peel off paper from those

Add paper and peel off strips of paper as you go.

Cover with paper all the way around.

On the end of the paper place a strip of tape and press to the can.

Press paper to can. There is about a 1/2" left there.

Place tape on strip and place on can to cover the blank area on the can.

Like so.

Make sure your gift fits with room on the top and bottom.

Place filling in the top of the can. Remember we are working from the bottom.

Wrap ornament in a sheet of tissue and place hook side down in the can, when the person opens the can the ornament will be right side
up.

Place filling on the bottom of the ornament and gently in around the sides.
Tuck in the filling away from the edge of the can.

Glue the lid right around the edge where I am pointing with E-6000.

Place bottom on can. Turn the can over and place something heavy on top of the can till it is dry.

Wrap with ribbon and give away.
I used the paper I covered the can with to make a tag.
There you go Can-tastic wrapping.

Something of interest- Etsy's best

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

I don't usually do Etsy showcases, but in one day I was sent some interesting stores.
The first one is someone who I featured in one of my blogs Halloween weekend. She is the Day of the Dead Catrina I took a picture of at the Day of the Dead Festival.
She saw my blog and contacted me, how cool is that?
Here is the blog post
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/11/wonderful-halloween-weekend.html
She also sent me some much better pictures to share with you.
This Catrina's name is Nathaly

She has two Etsy Shops too.
One is for shoe accessories and hair baubles, Lola Lolita
http://www.etsy.com/shop/girlwithredshoes

And the other shop is a vintage finds shop with things from all over the world. La Femme Moderne
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LaFemmeModerne
Take a look at Nathaly's shops, she has incredible things in them.

I love this blog! I am so excited to meet and know more about Nathaly and to have better pictures of her too. At the DOD Festival I wondered about her and who she was. I did not get to talk to her there at all, she was surrounded by people most of the time.
What an incredible costume.
How can it get better than this?

The second wonderful shop is from a fellow guild member and friend, Beth. She thought I would appreciate this shop. The shop was featured in her paper on Sunday. She knows I love Day of the dead and art, so she sent me the shop only a few minutes after Nathlay wrote me. I thought this must be a blog post or something.
This my friends is Raw Bone Studio
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RawBoneStudio

Cute, right??

These beauties come from the mind of Robin Romain.
I love these tin can skulls, It is a skull and tin can, how can it not be more perfect? Sardine cans?? Can it be my next palette? I seriously doubt it, I can not stand sardines. I will leave that to Robin and her friend and artist Joe William Crabtree.

Heart rocks

2011-12-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

Madi and I found this while we were walking and I thought of you.

My heart to yours.

Have a magical day!

Holiday update and aftermath

2011-12-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday in the US.
This time of year is starting to be a very interesting time and I feel that with a pair of fresh eyes (Madi, 2 years old), I am starting to see things in a new way again.
She sees things in such a lovely way, everything is brighter, everything is new, and we "ring around the rosy" everyday.
Last night we went and looked at a wondrous sight. Christmas on Knob Hill. Wow, it is so much better to look at something like this with the eyes of a two-year old.
Thank you dear Madi for bringing a fresh outlook to my life, you rock, baby!!

Sorry not to be around lately, I have been feeling a little out of sorts the last couple of days and now I have a bad kink in my neck.

I have listed some new things in the Hoarders Closet.
Diamond shaped clip back earrings.

There are 14 pieces, 7 pairs, you can see them here

Necklace Chains with the clasp, split ring, jump rings, and extension chain.

Everything you need, except your art, to make a necklace.You can see them here

Oval Pendant Drops or earring drops

Great pieces for adding polymer clay or for working with resin,you can see them here
As always, thank you so much for looking.

On Sunday I am going to be, with my friend Tina, at small craft fair in the area.
It is at Poway High School.
Come on by and say HI!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the USA.

And to those friends that aren't in the USA...

May the spirit of Thanksgiving grace your heart and tables.

Picture this!!

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

I found these little frames, which are actually slide holders.
These look great in scrap books.
I used them for templates and made some clay frames which can also be used in scrapbooks, made in to jewelry, or magnets.
What about Christmas ornaments with pictures in them?

You will need:

Cernit Biscuit, White, or Opaque white (You can use other colors, I just used these for these pictures)
Clay machine
Clay slicing blade
Exacto-type blade
Textures
Pinata inks
Slide frames
small stencil brush
Metallic inks (brilliance, MicaMagic, these heat set and are permanent)

All links above lead to my husband's on-line store, the Clay Factory, as always thank you for looking

Condition and roll out your clay on the 3rd thickest setting in your clay machine.
Lay the slide frame on the clay and trace around it cutting with your blade.

I have better luck cutting with a exacto type blade on the inside of the frame.
You can stipple with a stiff stencil brush.

Put on a little Pinata alcohol ink.

Then add another color and daub with a paper towel to blend (Kind of) ;-D
You can bake this one just like this or...

Stamp with gold metallic ink and bake. Tah-dah frame done! Scrapbook and flexible frames.
What about a necklace?
I will play with this later for ya!

Here is another way. Roll out the sheet of clay and then roll through with a piece of lace fabric to texture.
Cut out frame from this sheet.

Highlighted with Distress ink so you can see the texture. This wonderful ink (love for my cards) is not the best to use with Polymer clay, it really never dries and will rub off. Great for step by photos though, YAY!

Here it is colored with another metallic ink and then blushed with a gold ink to further accent.
Bake and go! That scrapbook is waiting. Also you can glue to the cover or paper with a small bead of glue along each side and the bottom and you will be able to slip a small photo in and out of it when the glue has dried..

Here is another way. Roll out your clay on the above setting and then roll through with a texture plate.

Ink and bake.

Back with more on this later.
Happy Tuesday, ya'll.
Have a great week, go play now!
I love you to the moon and back!!

Wednesday Wonder- Step right up!

2011-11-15T21:50:00.001-08:00

I know, it has been a while.
I have had this in the back of my mind for a while.
One of my blog buddies even did a post on it, you can see Nicole's thoughts on this trend here
http://beadwright.blogspot.com/2011/10/shoes.html
and here
http://beadwright.blogspot.com/2011/10/i-cant-help-myself.html

So you see shoes have become the latest art form and I do not mind at all, even though some of them seem quite ridiculous.
I have always wondered how one could walk in these, they are way higher than any platform I ever wore.

I do love these though, they are Steve Maddens and you can get them from Heels.com

These are works of art and the have 18 k gold heels. "Crafted by Mai Lamore, don’t degrade them by tagging them as mere shoes as they are no less than a work of art. They 27,000$ plus."

I would never wear them outside and they best be the most comfortable shoes I have ever put on and kiss my little tootsies as I walk too.
I got this pic from http://elitechoice.org

How about shoes in shoes as a statement from DIS magazine
http://dismagazine.com/distaste/new-style-options/13659/shoes-in-shoes/

This might be a great choice for a Day of the Dead wedding theme.

Now these from the Prada Spring 2012 collection, I believe these to be truly some of my most favorites and you can see more at this site Talkshoes.com
http://www.talkshoes.com/5970/fashion-week-shoes-prada-spring-2012/

They have others that look like they have tail lights on the heels, you know the ones that look something like bullets. I believe 50's cars, like Chevy's had them.

Christian Louboutin Deja Vu Slingbacks, $1595 via Christian Louboutin
And these Louboutins rock my world.
Eye adore them.

http://www.talkshoes.com/5507/louboutins-with-eyes-sure-why-not/
Also from Talkshoes.com
What an awesome website!

Ok, maybe it is me, but I think we are moving in to the space age with aliens invading the planet.

Heelless shoes??? WTF? These are amazing.
Do people really wear them though??
I want to see the video!
Are your bunions and toes just screaming seeing this?
Also from Talkshoes.com, can you understand why I love this site?
http://www.talkshoes.com/5510/daphne-guinness-wears-heelless-natacha-marro-shoes-to-paris-couture-week/
Gives me an idea of the money wasted on foolish things, while people do not have health insurance.
That is always good for a laugh in the morning.

Here is another wonderful blog with a real persons view of shoes. Unique Style.
Some of these would definitely qualify as art.
Photo by Tommy Ton

http://uniquestyle11.blogspot.com/2011/11/shoes-shoes-yummy-shoes.html
Check out the rest of the blog too.

So if I look at these as art, I feel better about the prices and the looks. I would never wear them though for fear of getting them wet and breaking my leg or maybe even having worse back problems than I already have.
I do, though, love the design aspect of these and the ideas that bloom in my head from just looking at them.
Now those google eyes ones I would wear, I will have to use my glue gun and payless shoes though.
Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Finished onthe 15th, Fave Crafts Blog hop

2011-11-15T07:14:00.001-08:00

Today is the Fave Crafts Blog Hop Finished on the 15th. It is about recycled products.

Click on the blog hop button above to go there and see all of the recycled crafts. Or cut and paste below
http://www.favecraftsblog.com/november-blog-hop-recycling-crafts-giveaway/
It is a contest again if you feel like voting.

I have been busy with life and finding less and less time as we are getting towards all of the holidays. There are so many things to do when your granddaughter is almost 3. Santa pictures, play, Christmas crafts, play, play, play, play, and more play. She is in to role playing now and I have been all of her friends, her stuffed animals, TV friends, swiper, and Uniqua (TV characters). It is fun, so I am behind.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone and may someone like my grand daughter light your life up and show you how to remember how to play and imagine!!

Here is my latest tin can project "Tin Can Taco box".
Just add food.
The instructions to cover the box are from the last Blog hop and here.
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/10/finished-on-15th-tin-can-pumpkin-box.html
You could even make a pumpkin with out the face for thanksgiving treats.
Have a great Holiday.

Let's talk Turkey!

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Gobble, Gobble!!

I thought it would be fun to have a tutorial on a simple turkey.
This could be made in to a magnet or pin.

You will need:

Caramel Cernit
Opaque White Cernit
Poppy red Cernit just a pinch
Orange Cernit
Black Cernit just a pinch
Clay Machine
Clay Slicing Blade
Bamboo skewer
Sun like cutter from Flowers and leaves Makin's clay cutter set
5/16" Kemper Kutter flower
3/4" Kemper Kutter Round

Condition Opaque White clay and roll out in the clay machine on the 4th thickest setting. You can roll through the machine several times to get a nice smooth sheet.

Cut out one of the sun "like" shaped cutters and lay on work surface.

Condition and roll out the caramel on the 3rd thickest setting. Cut out one of the sun "Like" shapes.
Place the caramel one on top of the white one and off set it so the whites points show between the Caramel points.

Flatten the two together with the palm of your hand, preferably the rounded cup of your palm.

Cut out two circles of Caramel out of the round 3/4" cutter. Put them together and roll into a ball. Then using your forefinger roll on one side of the ball and rolling in to a bowling pin shape.

Like so!

With the back of the clay blade (careful now!) Make a mark about 1/8" to 1/4" down from the top of the small end of clay bowling pin shape.

Bend the tip over at the mark.

Place the bowling pin caramel shapeon the two cut out sun "like" shapes and press the thicker end to the shapes like you see in the picture.

Make marks with the end of your blade around the turkey body where the indents are around the outside of the sun points in the brown flower/sun are. This step is optional, but does add a little more to the turkey.

Roll out the orange clay on the 2nd thickest setting and cut out two of the 5/16" flower.
Push them out of the cutter and pinch two of the petals of the flower together.

Place the flowers that are now feet, with the pinched petals in the back,under the thick flattened end of the bowling pin caramel shape.

Cut out another flower shape.
We are just going to use this for the size, so roll that flower in to a little ball.

Roll on one side of the ball to shape it in to a shape it in to a little teardrop.

Just like this.
Place this little teardrop thick end first on the end of the bowling pin caramel top of the bowling pin.
You will able to see it in the picture after I put the eyes on.

Roll out a very small coil of black and cut off a tiny, tiny section.

Cut two of them and roll them into balls.

They a will be very small, like a 1/16".

Here is the placement of eyes and beak.

Now we are going to make the pieces for the waddle. Roll out a small coil of the poppy red.
Cut off two short pieces and one long one.

Roll them all in to balls and then roll them in to elongated teardrops.

Place one of the two small ones on top of the head.
Then place the other.

You can see where the red pieces go, here.

Looking a little like a turkey now.

Poke two holes in the beak, so he can breathe.

With the side of the flower cutter mark the chest with marks for feathers.

Like this.

Use the flowers cutter and cut out four flowers out of the caramel sheet that is rolled out on the3rd thickest setting.

Put two together and roll in to a ball.
Do that with the other two.

Roll those into teardrops.

Flatten those teardrops.

With the back of the blade mark both wings on the tips.

Now mark the wings with the flower cutter and mark horizontal marks on the tips too.

Place the wings on the thick end of the body.

Your turkey is done.

Some interesting things around here

2011-11-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Thy sky has been amazing between rains.
I love fall, the light changes here. It is very subtle to most people. Even the ones that live here.
I see the small changes that are this area's signs of season changing.

This to me is a perfect southern California fall sky. It sparkles with clean.
We have even had rain and are expecting more this week and colder weather this year.
I also had a cactus bloom over the last couple of weeks, it is probably confused.

It looks almost female, doesn't it? It is the cactus goddess.

And these are just because I love the way these pics turned out.

A gaggle of Greenmen Brooches.

Have a great week my friends, get to work on your Christmas presents, now, if you haven't already.
Be thankful for everything.
Heard this on one of Oprah's shows.
Thought for the day??
"Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could be any different"

My little Foofa!

2011-11-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Madi did Halloween as Foofa! She was so cute.
Foofa is a character from Yogabbagabba, one of her favorite shows on TV.
We sing all of the songs and even I, know most of them by heart.

My little Foofa patiently waiting to go!

We visited some scary places.

Met some scary people!

Loved this house.

I loved this fence.

Cool, Huh?

Another great place!

This house was the best and the people very nice!

Madi said "can I come in?" LOL!

My little Foofa was quite a trooper and walked the couple of miles by herself.
She got lots of goodies and was only scared once by a talking skull, as long as they do not talk she was fine with them, LOL!!

A wonderful Halloween weekend

2011-11-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

**************WARNING this is a picture heavy post***************

I had a great time this weekend. I hung out with friends from out-of-town on Sunday.
We went to the Old San Luis Rey mission in Oceanside for a Dia De Los Muertos festival.
I had not been there in more years than I can count.
That day I realized that I am sitting in the midst of a beautiful and culturally diverse community that I have not utilized for many years. Lucky me and yet, stupid me, for not checking things out sooner.
With Madi growing and learning this is not the time to be remiss on this fact, but to pay attention to the treasure amongst my place of habitat.
I am always amazed at how much more it means to me at my age than when I visited as a child.
This beautiful lady posed with children and adults in 90 degree weather.

The costume was gorgeous and she looked like a painting or drawing come to life.

I loved this and with the Mission behind her it was amazing.
The Dia De los Muertos Festival was amazing. With food, yay!
I ate pork and cheese pupusas with curtido and salsa roja, from El Salvador. Recipe links in the titles. I did blend the salsa roja with a little water and then cook again adding salt and pepper, when cooler stirring in the cilantro to make it more like the traditional sauces I have had.

A pupusa is a stuffed corn dumpling or flat bread of sorts served with cabbage slaw(curtido) and red sauce(salsa roja). This is my new favorite thing to eat and I found a great recipe online, above links, totally gluten-free. I have my Sandy Camp committee and San Diego Guild member, Pat, to thank for this wonderful introduction to Pupusas. She is so kind to always look out for me and my choice to eat gluten-free.
I made it with masa harina but now I want to learn how to make fresh masa because the difference in taste is amazing. Still very good with the corn flour(masa harina) but a 100 times better with fresh masa.
There were also many Spanish and Mexican crafts and vendors, a car show, music, dancing, and beautiful colors everywhere. I want to go back next year and spend the whole there. A couple of hours is in no way enough for all the sights and sounds.

This mission is beautiful and well-kept, I have to go back and take Madi for a tour, there is all kinds of history there.
This is one.

Old adobe bricks.

Commemorative plaque1.
I didn't have time to stop and really read and take pictures and ask questions because we were on the way out to Encinitas to meet others for a coffee at Swami's.

Commemorative plaque2

Commemorative plaque3

Commemorative plaque4

I believe I made the pictures bigger for the plaques so you can click on them to read them.

This was right next to my car when we were leaving.

The Lavanderia (the laundry; the laundromat).
Loved the old adobe archway, it was very inviting, on a schedule, snapped more pics. I am going back to see this.

Some folks walking down the sloped gradual steps.

I have to go back now, gargoyles??? Really?
I also bought this incredible shirt.

Lucy, oh Lucy!! Way cool art on shirts. Incredible art. I love this one!
I have to look for the card, they have no website.
See that Key, Kathy Davis made that for me. Thank you Kathy, I adore it!

We then went to Swami's cafe in Encinitas, a juice bar, coffee shop and good food, I mean good for you food that tastes great. You can look at the menu here
http://www.allmenus.com/ca/san-diego/30678-swamis-cafe/menu/
Yum, yum, yum!!
I found this on the flower shop next to Swami's and thought it might be a profound rule for life! LOL!!

Then we walked across the street to the gardens at the Self Realization Fellowship Temple there right on the coast. They have a garden off of K Street and we walked over to check it out.
I have lived in this area all of my life and I have never been there. WOW! I loved it. It is not a big place but it jammed packed with beauty. Now I want to go on the Temple grounds too. I bet is gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

Beautiful coy ponds (warning, I may say beautiful a lot!)

Glimpses of the pacific ocean (with fog coming in)

Beautiful flowers.

Bird of paradise and views of the pacific ocean.

A living canopy.

Beautiful plants and rocks.

Rock people. I did not put this here.

Rocks and more ponds with fish.

Bubbling up!

Ocean and fog again. The trail wind around and then back to the ocean and every time we came back to the ocean it would be a different feeling.
I cannot even capture in words the beauty in this small space.
If you come here or live near here you should go and visit.

Wicked cool tree with low crooked branches.

There is a great spider web here, this picture is bigger if you like to look at spider webs click on it.

Where the Swami swam, and incredible tile work.

More flowers.

More beautiful flowers.

Beautiful ocean view!

There is so much duality in this place, shade and sun, light and dark, shiny and dull. hard and soft, and sharp and smooth.

Benches through out.
Walkways too.

I think this might just be my favorite picture of the whole day. The fog rolling in.

Spikeys!

Weird berries?

Gate to the sea?

Beautiful flowers.

Palm.

Gorgeous flowers.

These leaves are furry and huge.

Cactus mouths! or tentacles.

Spikes and soft.

These do not bloom very often. It is very tall. The plant itself is probably 4 foot in diameter.

Smooth.

Fuzzy fingers.

Huge spikes.

1 foot plus long fish.
And very friendly too. I think they thought we were going to feed them.

Lush growth around this fish pond.

OK, this is my favorite picture. The sun has started its trek towards the western horizon and would peek through the trees sending rays out through the branches and dance off the water and the leaves, playing throughout the whole garden.

Again he peeks through.

And again.

And on the way out.
Thanks for visiting with me and if you come here you should go see this treasure and visit Swami's cafe.
I had a blast.
http://www.yogananda-srf.org/tmp/LocationDetail.aspx?id=938
I live in an amazing place!

Dem bones, dem bones, dem fish bones! Part 2

2011-10-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

This tutorial post is continued from
Dem bones, dem bones, dem fish bones! Part 1

Spooky fish skeleton that is not just for Halloween.
At least that is what I think anyway.
I love this cane.
I hope you have fun making it too.

You will need:
Black Cernit
Opaque White Cernit
Porcelain Cernit
Biscuit Cernit
Clay slicing blade
Clay machine
Ruler if you wish

I mixed the black clay with Biscuit and the white clay with porcelain in equal parts
Condition and roll out the black in to a sheet on the thickest setting in your clay machine.
This is the last picture from part 1 here
Dem bones, dem bones, dem fish bones! Part 1

Add a sheet of white to the center of the cut on one side. The sheet will be rolled out on the 3rd thickest setting.

Put the stack back together with the white sheet in the middle...

Roll a 1/2" coil of the white clay and press in to a triangle with your thumb and forefinger.

Add the triangle point up to the fish bones. Like this.

Roll a 3/4" coil of black.

Press that coil into a triangle too.
Make the points of the triangle pretty sharp.

Trim the triangle black piece to fit the stack of rib bones.

Cut that triangle piece in half.

Make the points even sharper if you have too.

Add one half to one side of the tail and the other half to the other side of the tail. Press in to the tail evenly.

Add a sheet of black clay rolled out on the thickest setting in the pasta machine to the bottom of the tail.

Like this!

Roll a 1" coil of white clay and trim to the length of the stack of bones and tail.

Press this in to a triangle shape and see if it is the same size as the stack of bones and tail.

Cut straight down and cut off one point of the triangle.

Like so!

Place a bamboo skewer or brass rod on the cut side of the big triangle on the top 1/3 of the triangle.
Press the rod gently in to the triangle.

Add the other cut sections right back to the triangle with the brass rod still in place.
Form the 2nd cut half around the rod to form a half circle cell in the both pieces of the triangle.

Peel the one section off the other section and remove the brass rod.
Roll a coil of black clay the size of the brass rod about 1/8" and place in the channel of the big part of the white triangle.
Cut off the black coil so it is the length of the white triangle piece.

Place the smaller section of the triangle together with the larger one leaving the black coil inside.

This will be the eye for the fish bone cane.

Using your blade again cut into the opposite side of the cane at more of an angle. Cut all the way through to the bottom edge of the white triangle.

Like so.
Pull off the small section while never changing the orientation of the pieces.

Roll out some black clay on the 3rd thickest setting and place a strip about 1/4" in width on the length of the small cut off white piece of the larger triangle.

This piece will slide under the bigger white piece of the triangle, so the black strip will go along the outside edge of the small piece.

Like so!

Using your thumb and forefinger compact everything together. Shaping back in to a triangle and pressing the small piece with the black together with the large piece of the triangle as if it is one piece.

Place the triangle head in the center of the bones on the stack.

Roll a black coil that is 1 1/8" in diameter and the length of the stack of fish bones.

Press in to a triangle shape and cut the pieces in half.

Make the points of the triangle more defined.
Place one half on each side of the head of the fish.

Wrap all sides with a sheet of black rolled out on the thickest setting.

Reduce by compressing all sides one at a time with the palm of your hand and then flipping the cane from end to end and compressing all 4 sides of the cane again.
Repeat this slowly and gently until the cane is smaller by half the size.
It is best to be more forceful in the center of the cane to force the inside of the cane out.
As Katherine Dewey once told me "Oh, you are pressing on the "x" and the "y" axis which forces the "z" out through the center".
EXACTLY!

This is the inside of that cane using that method!
Enjoy and have a safe and fun Halloween!

Boos and hisses!

Another tin can box, "Taco" inspired by Ortega 4 ounce green chili cans

2011-10-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

The instructions for the tin can box is here.
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/10/finished-on-15th-tin-can-pumpkin-box.html
All you have to do is add food stuffs.

I had to do it.
The Ortega can.

Everything you would need for a taco dinner.

Onions, tomatoes, and shells.

Olives, avocados, and red peppers.

Beans, Cheese, and green peepers.

Lid off.

The whole thing has a taco shell finish.
Taco feet, ;-D
This has got to be one of my all time favorites and it makes me hungry.

Yummmmmmm!

Dem bones, dem bones, dem fish bones! Part 1

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Mrs. B is extending the giveaway for the bat and pumpkin cupcake necklace I made giveaway until the 1st of November so if you still want a chance you can hop on over there and add your name to the bunch.

http://www.confessionsofapagansoccermom.com/2011/10/giveaway-from-marie-segals-art-from-my.html
You can see the necklace in the picture below the cat picture.

Thank you for your votes on the Fave Crafts Blog Hop. I did not win, but I feel great about bringing a ton of new people and unique votes to their web page and I could not have done it with out all of you. Blessings all over all of you.

I cut five sheets in black 2 1/8" by 1 1/2".

Roll the white clay out on the 3rd thickest setting.
We will cut down the white sheets to size but these are a great size to start with.

Cut out 5 sheets of the opaque white 2 1/8" by 1 1/2". You can use a black sheet as a template.

Cut off 1/8" from each side of the long side of the white sheet.

Lay a black sheet down and place this white sheet in the very middle of it.

Take another sheet of black the same size as the ones above and rolled out on the 3rd thickest setting like the white sheets above and cut off 1/8" from the long side.

Place the black strips on the side of the white sheet on both sides.

It will be like there is a whole sheet that is 2 1/8" by 1 1/2".

Add one of the 5 black sheets that you cut in the beginning to the stack above.

It will look like this from the side.

Cut off a little strip that is a bit bigger than the first ones ( 1/4") you cut. Do this from both sides of the sheet.

Place in the middle of the sheet of black that you just placed on the stack.

Cut off strips the same size as the ones you just cut off of the white sheet out of the black clay rolled out on the third thickest setting.

It will look like this.

Add another one of the first black sheets that were cut.

Cut off a strip on each side of one of the white sheets that you cut before, these strips will be a little bit bigger than the last strips.

Add the white sheet that is left to the stack in the middle.
Add strips of black clay rolled out on the 3rd thickest setting to the sides of the white sheet.
Then add another one of the first black sheets that you cut in the beginning.

Cut a bigger strip from each side of the next sheet of white.

Add the white sheet to the stack in the middle of the stack.
Add black strips to the sides of the white sheet.
Add one of the original cut sheets of black to the stack.

You can guess what happens with the next white sheet right? I knew you could.
Cut strips on both sides of the white strip that are bigger than the last strips and add that to the stack.
Add black strips to each side of the white sheet.

Stand the cane stack on the end like you see it and cut through the center of all of the sheets.

Here is another view.

Add a sheet of white to the center of the cut on one side. The sheet will be rolled out on the 3rd thickest setting.

Put the stack back together with the white sheet in the middle...

Stay tuned for part 2.

Mrs. B is giving away one of my cup cake pendants

2011-10-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Mrs B is giving away one of my bat cup cake pendant necklaces on her blog here.
http://www.confessionsofapagansoccermom.com/2011/10/giveaway-from-marie-segals-art-from-my.html
It closes on October 25th at 12 noon EST.
Comment on Mrs.B's blog, not here, for a chance.
She has several ways to win.
Good Luck!!

Happy Halloween from both of us!!!

Finished on the 15th Tin can pumpkin box part 2- DIY

2011-10-15T00:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much everyone who has voted, for me or otherwise, you are so appreciated!!

This is my post for the Fave Crafts Blog hop, Finished on the 15th.

http://www.favecraftsblog.com/october-blog-hop-halloween-crafts-anniversary-giveaway/

It is a themed Blog hop for Halloween and I have the chance to win 50$ worth of craft products if you vote for me. Could you please check it out. I would love to win. You have to go to the fave craft page (click on link of above) and like my post there.
Look for this picture.

You can click on this pumpkin to to go there.
Thank you so much if you do.

I did not get much done because I was getting ready for the San Diego polymer clay Guild's annual Sandy Camp. You can see the witches here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/10/1st-day-of-sandy-camp.html
A good time was had by all.

This is continued from part one here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/10/tin-can-pumpkin-box-part-1-diy.html

I thought you would like to see how I make the can boxes.
Never throw another can away again.
LOL!!

You will need:

4 ounce Ortega chili can (You can use any can size but the cutters I am using are for the 4 ounce size can) to find the right circle cutters, put a cutter inside the lid top to see which cutter will work and then use the nest size up for lid top.

Cernit Clay in

Orange
Light Green
Gold
Caramel
Opaque white
Black
Poppy red
Yellow
Large block of Biscuit

1/2" Oval Kemper cutter
3/16" round Kemper cutter
1 1/8" round cutter
2" round cutter
2 1/2" round cutter
2 3/4" round cutter
Clay slicing blade
Knitting needle or bic stic pen

I mix all of my colors equally with the same amount of biscuit.

Condition to one color.

Condition some of the light green Cernit and roll out on the thickest setting in your clay machine.
The mix some of the gold Cernit with the light Green 1:1 and roll it out on the thickest setting.
I used a maple leaf cutter and cut out one leaf in each color.

Cut out the stem of the leaf.

Please disregard the piece of clay on the blade ;-D

Cut a "V" at the base of the leaf.

With a knitting needle make marks in the leaves you cut out for veins.

Like so.

From the back of the leaf pinch down the center vein just a little.

Place on the lid of the can. I make the leaves were the "V" is cut go up the stem a little and scrunch up the leaves to make them look real.

Take a 1/2" ball of the light green Cernit and roll out in to an elongated cone about 3" long.

Place the thick end in the dip of the stem and curl up.

Like so.

Roll out some black Cernit on the thickest setting in the clay machine and fold a part of it in half.

Using the 1/2" oval cutter, cut out 3 ovals.

Stack together. You can wrap these with another piece of very thin black clay if you wish, but I leave them like this.

I roll them gently on the work surface to tack together.

Make 4 sets of these black stacked ovals and place at four corner on the bottom of the can.

Turn the can over and place on the feet and press gently to flatten feet a little.

Cut out 4 more double thick ovals for bat bodies.

Cut out 4 single thickness rounds with the 1 1/4" cutter.

Cut those single thick circles in half.

Using the point of the 1/2" heart cutter starting on the out side of the half circles cut 3 points across the cut halves of each set.

Like this. Do that with all of the sets. They will look like wings now.

Using the 1 1/4" cutter mark partial arcs from the points to the top of the wing.

Like this.

Place a set of wings over each foot like so.

Roll the little body balls of clay in to stubby pear shapes. Place the smaller end up and place the body over the wing tips and the feet

Roll out some of the red Cernit on the 6th thickest setting and with the 3/16" round cutter cut out 4 sets of two each for the eyes on the bat.

Cut out a single thickness of black Cernit with the 3/16" cutter and roll into a short little coil and place over the red eyes. Mark in the center with your knitting needle. Do this on each bat.

Roll another little coil of black and cut off tiny slices and roll into a balls for the pupils in the eyes and place like above.

Make a mark for a mouth by moving the knitting needle. Do this on each bat.

Bats done, now for the face of the pumpkin.

Cut a 1/2" strip of single thickness black.

Cut the strip so you have 3 triangles for the eyes and nose.

Place the eyes and nose on your pumpkin.
Press gently on.

Using the 2" cutter, cut out a round and then cut a thin moon shape.

Using the square 1/2" cutter cut out a tooth on the bottom.

Like this.

Roll out some more of the red on the 6th thickest setting and cut out 3/16" rounds and place on the triangles for the eyes.

Sometimes you can place the cutter with the red clay on the triangle and pull back quickly and the clay with stay on the triangle.

Roll out a tiny coil of yellow and cut little sections for pupils and place on the cut out rounds of red.

Like this.

Bake like this on a piece of cardboard shipping box in a pre-heated 275 degree oven for 1/2 hour, shut off oven and let cool.
When the piece is cool you can antique it with brown Ne-Opaque. Brush on the color over the whole piece and wipe off with a damp not wet old piece of towel. It will look like the picture at the top.
Tah-dah!
Happy Halloween.
Thank you for dropping by!

Tin can pumpkin box part 1- DIY

2011-10-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

I thought you would like to see how I make the can boxes.
Never throw another can away again.
LOL!!

You will need:

4 ounce Ortega chili can (You can use any can size but the cutters I am using are for the 4 ounce size can) to find the right circle cutters, put a cutter inside the lid top to see which cutter will work and then use the nest size up for lid top.

Cernit Clay in

Orange
Light Green
Gold
Caramel
Opaque white
Black
Poppy red
Yellow
Large block of Biscuit

1/2" Oval Kemper cutter
3/16" round Kemper cutter
1 1/8" round cutter
2" round cutter
2 1/2" round cutter
2 3/4" round cutter
Clay slicing blade
Knitting needle or bic stic pen

I mix all of my colors equally with the same amount of biscuit.

Condition to one color.

Cut off top of can with a side cutting can opener.

Put a thin layer of the Ultimate glue on the lid and the bottom of the inside of the can bottom and the top.

Roll out orange on the thickest setting.
Cut out 2 circles that fit in the top and the bottom of the can and the lid.

Place Orange clay circles in to the bottom and the top and start pressing gently in the center of the circles and working your way out to the edges to press out air bubbles. It will also push clay to the edges if you have a little bit smaller clay circle.

Now use the next cutter size up from the one you used to fill the top and the bottom and cut out one of those.
Place on top of the lid.
Press into the clay already in the lid and fold over the edge just slightly.

Roll out a strip of orange clay on the 3rd thickest setting and cut off the bottom for a straight edge.

Make sure it will wrap around the whole can. I forgot to measure it. ;-D

Place a layer of glue on to the surface of the can with your finger.
Cover the sides and the bottom edge.

Wrap around can and over leading edge to make a slight mark so you know where to cut the strip.

Press out air as you wrap around.

Cut just inside the line close to the can.

Match edges together and smooth with finger or tool.

Hold blade at an angle and trim around the top of the can.

See how blade is angled down and rotate the can and trim.

Even out the edge and press to the top of the can side.

Turn the can over and press the side clay to the bottom of the can clay.

I use a 1/8" metal rod to make indents in the side of the can like the indents in the side of the pumpkin.
I make 3 close together for registrations marks.

Like so. Some of the lines do not have to go from the top to the bottom and can be just marks on the top side or the bottom side.

Using the rod again, place the lid on the can and mark from the side of the lid where a top mark on the can starts to...

The middle of the can.
You can see my three lines for registration already marked on the top of the lid.

All the top side marks continued on the top of the lid to the center of the lid.
Place you blade in to the side of the lid and gently pop off the can.

Take a 1" ball of Opaque white and mix with a 1/2" ball of caramel till one color.

Pinch off enough for a 1" ball and roll till smooth.

Roll into a kind of a bowling pin shape.

Flatten around the top edge on the smallest side of the "bowling pin".

Put a Little dip in there.

Now flatten out the bottom.

Pull out little pinches of the bottom and roll between your fingers to lengthen.
I made five little fingers in the bottom all of varying lengths.

Place in the center of the lid and use the metal rod to mark up the sides of the stem.

I start in the dips between the little fingers and go up the side of the stem.

Stay tuned for part 2...

Tin can pumpkin

2011-10-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

I did not get much work accomplished at Sandy Camp.
I had loads of fun visiting but didn't get one thing done!
I made this before I left, because I had to donate something for being in the store.
I donated the other Tin can box also.

For the Clay Factory.
And I made this one for my contribution.
Sandy Camp was based on a Halloween theme this year, it was our 13th one.
I was in my glory, I adore Halloween.

Here is the top of the can.

Here is the side of the can showing the little bat feet.
He came in on little bat feet.

Here is the top and the side of the can together,

Another view.

A view with his hat on (or top).

I put my own tickets in for this, I wanted it back, is that wrong? ;-D
I put my own tickets in for the other one too.
The people who got them, make me happy, though.
I made this one on a sliced water chestnut can.

I think I love these.

Pearl at Beading Gem Blog

2011-10-11T13:04:00.000-07:00

I have had the honor of being in one of Pearl's wonderful blog posts at Beading Gem with other artists, I was so honored.
Her blog is little jewels of beading and everything to do with beading and more. A veritable treasure trove of loveliness and a wealth of information.
Today though, I am featured for my Halloween Jewelry, no no, my

Artful Halloween Polymer Clay Jewelry by Marie Segal

or here if you like to cut and paste

http://www.beadinggem.com/2011/10/artful-halloween-polymer-clay-jewelry.html#more

WoooooooooooooWhooooooooooo!!
You know what Pearl? I think you are wonderful. Thank you so very, very much from the bottom of my Halloween heart!!
You have made my whole October complete.

Cleaning Bottles for Bottles of Hope

2011-10-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Sky works at a place where he can get bottles for my guild for Bottles of Hope.
We are so lucky, bottles are hard to come by now days without paying for them.

He saves us the safe ones.
He told me something I thought I would share.

He uses a bottle opener to take off the tops of the bottles.

Boy that was huge duh for me.
I have been using a pair of wire cutters.
I would end up with cut hands.

What ever is in the bottles all over my hands.
If you turn the opener over completely you can move it and the top of the bottle right to the trash.

It took forever.
Well, no longer, thanks to the brilliant Sky.
About 10 minutes.

He also said to clean them with ammonia instead of bleach.
I am going to fill this tub up with water, add a cup of ammonia and clean and soak off the labels.
I now no longer mind doing this at all.
So now I am much better and smarter because of a brilliant friend.
Thanks Sky.

Not full yet, but beautiful!

2011-10-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

The moon is not considered full yet, but it is amazing.

And the stars showed up in the picture and some other things too. Cool!

Other dimensions maybe???
Nighty-night.

Something was going around, Sandy Camp 13

2011-10-10T16:40:00.000-07:00

There was something going around Sandy Camp 13, I suspect these guys.

Patty Mac had them crawling all over her.

Front and back.

Here is why I suspect this.
Lynne Ann is a beautiful, colorful woman.
Talented too.
Here she is with the Princess crown that Ellie makes everyone take a picture with.
A great sport too.

Here she is dressed up. Everyone had costumes on at some point.

But this is what happened after what I think is one of Patty's pets bit her.
Patty's spiders have blue eyes too, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!
I had so much fun, I feel like I was hit by a mac truck today.
Oh no, maybe I was bit by a Mac spider too.
Have a wonderful week, my pretties.
You are loved!!!

1st day of Sandy Camp

2011-10-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Broomhilda showed up...

Kelly Broomhilda

Dee Broomhilda

Marni Broomhilda

Patty Broomhilda

Kasi Broomhilda

Lynne Ann Broomhilda

Yvette Broomhilda

Deni Broomhilda

Shelly Broomhilda

And...

Marie Broomhilda This is only the beginning. ;-D

Something else I got side tracked on

2011-10-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Halloween cupcakes!
I was making molds and had to try some of them out.

I got stuck here for a while, I made one for everyone on the Sandy Camp committee. I really appreciate all of these ladies.

No wonder I do not have enough time for everything.

I keep adding stuff to my list. ;-D
Do you do this?

Are you having a wonderful start to your fall or spring?
I am loving our weather.
The light is changing.
The sky is so beautiful.
What a planet!
We are so lucky to be here.
My favorite time of year.

Finally Friday- whew

2011-09-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to get ready for our guilds yearly retreat, Sandy Camp.
It is challenging with a bouncing 2 1/2 year old that has no idea why I am ignoring her. Like I would. She has finally lain down for a nap, thus my frivolous time writing a little blog. ;-D
That is why I haven't been posting in the morning, I usually schedule posts the night before. I finally get to work after dinner and that is what I am doing when I should be writing my blog.

I always get a slew of ideas when I am writing a how-to, preparing for a show, getting ready for a class, packing for a trip, or anytime I am trying to focus on the impending job at hand that I am running out of time for.
So what I wanted to show you is a piece that came out of that time.

I have a few sculpts that I did years ago and I was making molds from them to sell in the Sandy Camp store. This one has always been a favorite of mine.

A happily content Green Man in the Cernit Nature color Basalt (502 in our Clay Factory store) smiles happily.

This was taken from an architectural influence and replicates a piece of a building for you to wear.

The piece is medium size.

It is stained or antiqued with black Ne-opaque acrylic paint.

And then it is blushed with Super Bronze Lumiere. I have made a few in different stone and metal colors.
This one is in my Etsy store now
http://www.etsy.com/listing/82858271/greenman-brooch-1

A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit. Commonly used as a decorative architectural ornament, Green Men are frequently found on carvings in churches and other buildings.

The Green Man motif has many variations. Found in many cultures around the world, the Green Man is often related to natural vegetative deities springing up in different cultures throughout the ages. Primarily it is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, or "renaissance," representing the cycle of growth each spring. From Wikipedia.com

I didn't get the whole blog written either had to put it away and start again later.
So friday is almost over now.
Have a wonderful weekend.

Wednesday Wonder- They've nailed it

2011-09-28T13:53:00.000-07:00

I have been so tired. I tried to write this last night. but I was nodding at the keyboard and had to come home and go to bed.
So today I try again.
I used to be known for my crazy fingernails, I loved having them done but mostly the massage to the hands and forearms that came with, for another 8$. Totally worth every penny in my book... then.
Challenges came up and that was one of the things I had to let go of.
Que sera, sera!!

Here is Doris Day belting that little ditty out.

My dad's favorite saying,which I truly love, is Caca pasa!! Put that in google translator. ;-D

Well anyway, back to the wonder.
Finger nail art has come a long way since my time with the crazy nails.
This photo comes from a great blog called "Fine art blog" which has not been updated since 2009. It is very disappointing, but there are so many awesome things to look at there.

All kinds of women on these.

I bet these ladies do not do polymer clay, LOL!

Polymer clay ruining your polish? Use the quick dry polishes or the gel coatings in the nail salon.
I do have a question though, how does she wipe?

LOL, sorry, I have always wondered. The things that entertain me now, LOL!!

These are beautiful, but how functional can they really be?
A few have things added to them, but a lot of them are just different types of gels.

These nails below are just pure talent and gels.

Notice, little hamburgers, tacos, pizza, and fries on these babies. I could work with these ;-D
This comes from another site that looks very interesting site "Just Cool Pics"

And for you Hello Kitty Fans.

You know you gotta have these ;-D

See more incredible nail creations here.
http://justcoolpics.blogspot.com/2009/09/finger-nail-art.html
The Simpson's, Mario, Candy, The ocean and more.

Do you want to do your own? Here is a company that says you can, with stamping.
http://nailartstamp.com/index.htm
Very interesting process too, check it out here
http://nailartstamp.com/My_Homepage_Files/demos.htm.
This gets my mind going, love that.
They have kits too. They are at the LA Fair in Pomona until October 3rd ;-D

And at About.com
http://beauty.about.com/od/perfectnails/qt/fakenails.htm
it seems I am totally up to date with my plain, no painted or gaudy nails... little did I know!
Shh, don't tell anyone, this is between you and I, they are painted black right now. It is only a couple of days until October. ;-D Right? I will just tell everyone I am practicing for the holiday.
Want to see some amazing stuff? Google "Nail Art photos".

Here is another great page from "Fashion Trends, Fashion Way Blog" just in case you are like me and have had to let all of your fashion mags go because of hard times, LOL!!
This will keep you up to snuff on everything.
http://www.daxoz.com/tag/nail-art-designs-in-2011 Here you will find the fashion nail trends for 2011.

You know, now that I look at this, who would have thunk that a series of interesting challenges would have kept me from becoming a fashion faux pas? LOL!!

How can it get any better than that?

Happy Monday- updates

2011-09-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

I hope you all have had a wonderful week and an even better weekend.
I have been very busy.
We have our annual retreat for the San Diego Polymer Clay Guild coming up and we are all trying to get ready for it.
I have been packaging things for the store that we have there.
Making things, and getting ready for the demo I am going to do.
I am going to demo flower petal canes. The necklace above is something I made from those canes.
I love how this turned out and the canes are simple fast and fun.
I have also been playing with the new book I won from Nicole at Beadwright's blog. Of course I would get something new and exciting to play with when I am supposed to be concentrating on the guild retreat. ;-D
We packed all of our goodie bags last Friday and had a great time doing it.
This is our 13th retreat and we are having a Halloween theme, so I am very excited.
Our committee is a group of 13 wonderful women and we have a great time together too. How can it get any better than that? I enjoy myself so much I actually look forward to seeing everybody and doing the job!

I have also started making some Xmas presents, it is pretty hard for me to believe this year has flown by so fast.
I need to start now, otherwise I will not get everything done.
So this last week has been nose to the grindstone and things prioritized out of the week and others placed in front of those, late nights, and working, working, working.
I am still here and hoping you all are doing very well and life is treating you with kid gloves and ease.
Have a great week.
Smile at someone this week and share your light with them.
Change the world.

I made this! Halloween Album, part 2

2011-09-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

LOL!! I guess I didn't hit the post button oops!

I hope you all had a great weekend and I wish you all an even better week ahead.

This is continued from part 1 here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-made-this-halloween-album.html

And this is the rest of the album I made.
I forgot to show the inside front cover and 1st page.

The skull pulls out and can be written on and a picture added.

This is another page and I got to use one of the all over punches that Martha Stewart makes. They are very cool and work really, really well.
The card behind is red and the spider and web is the punched out black paper.
Ravens marching along the bottom of the page.

Another skeleton page. This is one of my favorite punches, Jodi and I call this iron gate, probably not the name but we like it.

This is a great page and the colors are standard Halloween. I love it. A photo will fit under the moon and bats on the right page.

This one is a favorite. I love the whole book. The vampire and the moon are printed on plastic. The tombstone is also.
Two paper is silver and gray are for photos and writing.

This is another favorite. The witch is one of the best pre made decorations I have seen for Halloween. The cloak is velvety.
How about that spider web and spider boarder? Another Martha! She rocks on these punches in my opinion.

And the final page is back to the raven theme again.

The book is full and it was so fun to do. I mean how much better can it get when you go hang out with a dear, dear friend and make something awesome that makes you smile too!!
Lucky me!
Have a good week.

I made this! Halloween Album

2011-09-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the Halloween book I told you about, from when Jodi and I got together a few weeks ago. I took some of the skills I have learned from Jodi and combined them with the Coptic book binding I taught myself and some new ideas to make this Halloween scrap-book.
I love the holiday and I finally got to make something for it in the paper area.
Jodi would not let me put bats all over the houses we made at Christmas for my family. I know there is good reason behind this, she always has those.
I just have a hard time seeing that from my point of view. I mean, don't you think that everything should have skellies, bats, and wicked cool fences and ghosts and pumpkins, candy corn and witches all over it, all of the time?
See, I knew there would be tons of you that agreed with me. After all, the colors for Halloween are just divine, right?
I can see Jodi in my mind, shaking her head right now and not in that up and down "yes" fashion either. ;-P

I used this monster colored green paper with crows(ravens) all over and spider webs too for the covers.
I used my thin chip board but double-sided taped 3 pieces together.
This is quarter sheet of paper book, 4 1/4" by 5 1/2". I then covered with that awesome green paper.

Like so.

Double sided tape to adhere.

Covers done on the outside. Chose very cool raven paper for the inside.

I used Distress ink to age the edges of the outside and the inside of the covers.
Gives it that spooky feel!

This is a full sheet 8 1/2" by 11" of card stock scored down the length in the middle.

And then scored down the middle of it the other way! Jodi learned and shared with me about the ball stylus on the score board. It works great, better than my bone folder. Howard carries these in the www.ClayFactory.com of all sizes. We have double-sided, like this one shown, and single sided too.

It is folded and holes are poked in the middle fold. This is the page opened up here. This is one signature in the book. I did this to make pockets to hold things.

I used the Big Bite to punch the holes in the covers for the eyelets.
I make a template to make the holes 1/4" in from the edge on the cover where I am going to make the holes.
I lay the template on my score board and make the scores evenly spaced so I can see them.
I will have to make one later so you can see how I mark and place the holes.
Another tutorial!

Here the holes are punched in the cover.

Here you can see the eyelets and the binding. The pages are in.

Here is a different look at them.

I glued two pages together either on the side or on the top and made pockets to put things in. I made the page on the right a diagonal pocket.
And the one on the left a side pocket. I glued another piece of paper to the front on the left to make another pocket for the Happy Halloween tag.

The pocket on the left is a top loader and I glued the side together to do that. The pocket on the right is a top loader too and then I used another piece of paper to make another pocket on the front. With the tag in it.
I am going to stop here because Blogger is throwing a tizzy, too much going on for its poor little brain to handle.
I will continue this in the next post!
You can see though, I am having big fun! You can also see how a lot of techniques come together for even more fun for unique twist. I love when that happens.
Have a great weekend yall'

Look at this! DissyB's Bazaar

2011-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

I won another thing just recently.
I won on the Mary's Graces blog here
http://marysgraces.blogspot.com/
And Mary's Graces is having another giveaway and it is over today at noon PST. You still have time if you go there now!

I won this from Diane also know as DissyB.
I got it in the mail today!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Diane!

This is called a Tart Tin Mary.

It is little and oh so cute!

I also won the gorgeous bandana in the background. How can it get any better than that ;-D

Thank you Miss DissyB. I love them. I glued a magnet on the back of Tart Tin Mary she is going to be my "Mary of the calling Fridge".

May she guide me to the healthy food, the water, and the things that nourish this temple of mine.

I just found out that Mary glows in the dark too. Yay!! Perfect for night-time raids too.

You can find Diane at Etsy in her DissyB's Bizarre Assemblage Bazaar
http://www.etsy.com/shop/DissyB

And you can see this talented woman at her blog here
http://www.dissybsbazaar.blogspot.com
You will love her blog it is very informative and interesting.

Finished on the 15th- the Fave Crafts Blog Hop

2011-09-14T23:21:00.000-07:00

www.favecraftsblog.com/finished-on-the-fifteenth-favecrafts-blog-hop-for-september/

Welcome all you Fave Craft Blog hoppers. My name is Marie Segal and I am a craftaholic, no no I am a polymerholic, no, I am just a holic.
I love working with my hands and this is my brain on crafts and arts. I can not help my self, I must play with Clay, beads, wire, paper, paint, pearl-ex, air dry clay, clay, clay, and clay, card stock, gel mediums (all of them), glass, recycled goods, found objects, cameras, computers, punches, stamps, gold leaf, foils, eyelets and brads, scissors, paper cutters, words, gardening, food, cakes, fondant, book making, scrap books, albums, canvas, score pads... I think you are probably starting to get the idea.
Nothing is off-limits and everything is fair game and fodder for my mind, my heart and hands.
I have been doing this craziness for 45+ years now as much as I can and as long as I can and with as many products as I can.
I do love clay though and it is probably the thing I do most often and the longest. You will find much of that and all of the above and even the stuff I forgot in this space, with little tales from my life, opinions, and pictures, with circles and arrows ;-D.
So get your self some refreshments, and stay for a spell while I incite a riot in your mind. After all I need some company in this journey. ;-P
We will laugh and cry, but mostly laugh. I mean it couldn't hurt, right? It is just about the only thing I trust in this day and age and it does help me stay out of trouble... mostly.
This thing I do has brought me through so many trying times and it has also helped me find solutions in life and friends along the way. It keeps me sane when I am stressed (well.. it keeps me out of trouble, mostly).
I am on a life long process of building skills.
You can click on the blog hop button above and go back to Fave Crafts blog to see other artists and their things that they have finished this month.

Here are some of the things I have finished from the last 15th to this 15th.

Last 15th I did a tutorial on making Millefiori canes influenced by Atomic age designs.
Here is the last one
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/08/fave-crafts-blog-hop-black-and-white.html

I finished this with all of those canes I made.

The tutorial for it is here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/08/atomic-age-influence-votive-holder.html

I made a book.

Here is another book
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-coptic-bound-book.html
And here is the one above
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/08/ok-it-is-official.html

I made this tiny book

You can find it here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/09/hi-immmmmmmmmmmmm-back.html

I made this book with clay covers.

I made this skeleton key. It is in my Etsy store
www.mariesegal.etsy.com

I made this Coptic bound photo Album for a wedding.

You can see all of those items above here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/09/monday-updates-091211.html

And lastly but not leastly.
I made this Tin Can Box from a recycled 4 ounce Ortega green chili can

You can see it here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/09/tin-can-box.html

Thank you for stopping by and spending some of your precious time with me. I am so honored to have you here.
Come back again.
Be well!

Tin can box

2011-09-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is something I have been working on lately too.
It is made from a Ortega 4 ounce diced green chili can.

I like how it is hard to find the can.

It is also very busy, I like busy like this.

It has little feet on the bottom and they have angels in front of them.

You can see how big it is when I hold it in my hand.
Perfect for special treasures.

I am liking this very much. It was fun to make. It is using recycled materials. I think it is beautiful.

You can see the can now!
Have a great Tuesday.
Create a new way today.

Monday Updates 09/12/11

2011-09-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

I had a post planned for Friday and then the lights went out.
It was the "San Diego County Power outage of 2011" and it was amazing. It was really very weird.
About 3:30 pm on Thursday as I was sitting down to the computer to edit photos and get my blog post together, everything shut down, I mean everything. My whole house is electric. So I couldn't even cook anything. I couldn't open the refrigerator because I didn't know how long it was going to last.
Luckily I had fruit on the counter and bottle of water on the cooler.
No TV for the little one after her nap, which was the wrong thing for gramma to say.
My daughter called and said they had sent her home and everyone else home.
She went the back way and got home rather fast, there were people all over the county that spent hours on the freeways.
My family was all together so that was great. It was still stressful because there was no TV, no radio, no phone, no fans, no stove, no computer, no lights, no ice, no showers, and no a lot of things that I forget are attached to an electrical grid.
We sat outside at night because was so warm and it was still, except for the occasional fire engine or ambulance horn blowing, very still. I never realize how much of a constant buzz there is from traffic, fans, motors, trains, talking, and barking till it stops and then it is still and silent and rather nice.
Everything shut down, stores, food places, gas stations, and the phone service (from people calling each other all over the county and saying "Do you have electricity?"). There were a couple of bars open from what I understand and they were packed but only taking cash ;-D
Both of my daughters sat in their cars and listened to their radios to find out what was going on.
It looked grim and then we found out how big this really was, from the Mexican border to some parts of Orange County all the way west to the ocean and east to the Arizona border.
That is big. Really huge, a big outage. The biggest ever from what the SDG&E guys said.
We were also told that we wouldn't have power until much later that night.
I opened a bottle of wine and sat on the porch with my family and we talked. We haven't done that for a very long time like that, it was the great thing about the outage for me.

The Power finally came on around 2am my daughter said.
What a day.

I started the next day on a photo album my daughter wanted me to make for her friend's wedding on Saturday. I know, I am crazy. We were supposed to go to Micheal's to get paper for it the night before (but the power went out) and I had to wait for her to get home on Friday before we could go.
I am sorry I do not have more photos but I was rushing through this and after ripping the last page and taking it out 5 times at 2:30 in the morning I finally went to bed.
I got up about 10 am on saturday and continued working on it. Finally at noon I said to her "you have to help me", cut this, do this, glue this, tape this and so on until she went up and got ready and little after 2pm.
The wedding was at 3pm, LOL!
When she was ready to go, I stopped. I almost finished it completely.
I was very happy with the way it came out.
I wish I had more pics now and I want to do another one of these with this themed paper too.

I got a paper package from Me and My Big Ideas and it was perfect for her friend. Everything we used except for the chip board, the linen cord (it is Coptic bound), the inks, the glitter glue, distress ink and brads, came in the kit.

I also made another book this weekend, it is mini, it is Coptic bound, it is jewelry, and it is a journal.

And it has clay covers. You knew I was going to go there right?

So fun! The clay is pretty thin, about a the 4th thickest setting in the clay machine. I think I am going thinner next time.

I made the holes and set the eyelets with the new toy Jodi got me and it worked like a charm. I am in love with that Big Bite.
Bit right through the clay and set those eyelets like it was chip board.
I was doing a little dance, this opens so many more ideas in my head ;-D

It has parchment for pages.

It is signed on the back.

It has the waxed linen and rhinestone brads for the closures.

I covered the brads with a super thin piece (the 9th thickest setting in the clay machine) of clay that was baked and then cut with a pair of scissors to size and then glued in place.

I am very happy with this little book and I learned so much in making it.
I plan on making more.

I also made this. I think he is a little confused about his holidays.

He could be used for everyday.

He could be worn for Halloween.

He could be worn for Mardi Gras.

And for the Day of the Dead.

I love him. This is my version of a skeleton key ;-D

I also got my Book that I won from my friend Nicole at Beadwright Blog, Steel Wire Jewelry, by Brenda Schweder. Oh baby, am I going to have fun with this one.
I think you should go get one now! ;-D

Thank you Nicole and Thank you Lark/Sterling, you guys are the best!!
I would have posted on 09/11/11 but I thought it was best to have a moment of silence.

Have a great week, all of you! Thanks for giving me a moment of your precious time, I appreciate you all so much!!
Now go create a beautiful week.

I just won this book!

2011-09-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am so excited, my friend Nicole Campanella at Beadwright blog reviews books for Lark Crafts/Sterling Publishing. When she is done with the book she gives it away on her blog and writes a review on it.
Very cool, yes?
I won this book Steel Wire Jewelry by Brenda Schweder!!

I am even more excited because Artistic wire just started making stainless steel wire and we are carrying it at ClayFactory.net. Wooooo Whoooo!
If Howard doesn't have it up there, bug him about it. Sometimes he needs a push.;-D

The book is actually suggesting you use wire from the hardware store too and I will, but I think some of the designs will lend themselves to the stainless wire also. Stainless wire and Cernit polymer clay even.
I mean how perfect is that, that I win this?
Thank you Nicole and Thank you Lark Crafts/Sterling Publishing for being so generous. I appreciate both of you!

one of Nicole's patterns

And guess what? Nicole not only does some beautiful bead-work and carry some awesome products (Nicole's BeadBacking) and bead patterns in her Etsy store, she has a wonderful blog and is a very nice person and....
She is giving away another book now.
Here is the link
http://beadwright.blogspot.com/2011/09/win-jewelry-book-of-year.html

Be sure and visit Nicole's blog and get your chance to win a great book from Lark Crafts/Sterling Publishing.

Hi, I'mmmmmmmmmmmmm back!

2011-09-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

This has been quite a week. So I decided to take the time off to fully be in the week.
I hope you all have had a great week and I missed you.
I got back from my friend Jodi's after book making and staying up all hours, going out with her and Jimmy to dinner at BJ's with Mojito's (Yum) with no major problems. I had a great time, which is probably the only reason I kind of slid through the whole week of interesting changes.

I would go over it for you but, I would rather not rather not relive that week again. Everybody is alive and well, so it is all good in the end.

I taught Jodi how to do the Coptic binding to the best of my ability. She liked it and we each made a Halloween Scrapbook by combing the Coptic book binding with Scrap-booking. I mean, it had to go there, right?
These are the cutest books, I will show you those at a later date.
What I wanted to share with you was this book I made with a closure on it.

I glued some clay pieces on the front.
Jodi bought me a new toy, it is called Big Bite. It made those pretty little holes you see in the book above. I am in love with this thing, beats the heck out of an ice pick any day!!
That is how I made my holes in the books before. Sets eyelets too. ;-D

Nothing better than a tool that does a great job! I have a bunch of other things in mind for this baby too.

Coptic binding on the edges with waxed linen beige cording.

Craft paper pages for journaling or artwork.

But... tiny! Isn't it cute? 2" tall by 1 1/2" wide.
I just had too.
I set the eyelet on the back for the string to tie the book closed with my new tool too.

I just tied a piece of the waxed linen through the eyelet with a square knot and bam! you have part of a closure.

That cording ties around a brad and a circular piece of card stock to make the closure.
The hole for the brad was cut with the Big Bite too. The big bite is not just a hole punch, it cuts through chip board and multiple layers of chip board like butter. It also has a long reach on it which makes it perfect for books.
Have a great week everyone. Be well, and breathe.
Did any of you have an all out crazy week last week?

Atomic age Influence votive holder

2011-08-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

While you are reading this I am escaping from home to go hang out with my friend Jodi and talk to an adult, craft until my fingers hurt, and stay up crazy hours. I am expecting to have a good time.
We are going to make some books ;-D
It is hot here, kind of cloudy and humid, I do not feel like doing anything. It is 99 degrees here and almost 4 pm on friday the 26th, crazy!
I will talk to you all on Monday have a great weekend.
Be safe and be well.

Make the canes from the Black and white tutorials.
Continued from Part 1:
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/08/black-and-white-canes-2-atomic-age.html
and Part 2:
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/08/black-and-white-canes-2-atomic-age_09.html
and Part 3:
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/08/black-and-white-canes-2-atomic-age_14.html

Save any pieces from the making of the canes that you have left over. We will use those.

You will need:

clay slicing blade
glass votive holder
Canes from tutorials

Start with the sputnik cane or I guess it could be a stylized dandelion, well whatever you want to call it.
Slice off the slices about 1/16" thick and place around the top of the glass.
Do not press on just place.
When you have them spaced evenly with about an 1/8" between all of them.
Press into place.

Here is a better view.

Add the second cane.
Place those below the others.
Press on firmly.

These are from the second cane and are left over.
Slice off some slices and round them a little with your fingers.

Place one of those between the big circles at the top of the rim of the votive holder.

Now I have added the pieces left over from the dandelion cane and placed those between the rectangle canes.

I added some of the spiral, basically I am building a net of canes around the top of the glass. I can have small open areas as long as all of the canes are connected together.
I rolled the spiral cane down to about 1/4" and added one to each of the bottoms of the rectangles.
Bake in a pre-heated 275 degree oven for 1/2 hour, shut off oven, and let cool in the oven.
Add a votive and you are good to go!